Method of continuous sheet metal production

ABSTRACT

A METHOD OF CONTINUOUS SHEET METAL PRODUCTION IS PROVIDED, WHICH COMPRISIES IMMERSING WATER-COOLED ROLLS INTO A BATH OF MOLTEN METAL TO SUCH A DEPTH THAT THE MOLTEN METAL CONTACTS THE ROLLS OVER A PORTION OF THEIR CYLINDRICAL SURFACES CORRESPONDING TO CENTRAL ANGLES GREATER THAN 180* AND ROTATING THE ROLLS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TO DISCHARGE CRYSTALLIZED   METAL FROM THE BATH IN THE SHAPE OF A SHEET. ONE OF THE ROLLS IS PRESSED AGAINST THE SURFACE OF THE SHEET BEING PROCESSED AND THE SPEED OF ROTATION OF THE ROLLS IS CONTROLLED SUCH THAT ANY DEVIATION IN THE DESIRED THICKNESS OF THE OUTCOMING SHEET IS COMPENSATED BY VARIATION IN SPEED OF ROTATION OF THE ROLLS.   D R A W I N G

United States Patent [72] Inventors Georgy Lukich Khimich ulitsa Lenina,53, kv. 92; Vitaly Maximovich Nskovskikh, ulitsa Festivllnaya, 21, kv.60; Stanislav Evgenievich Karlinsky, ulitsa Kultury, 4, kv.22,Sverdlovsk, U.S.S.R. [21] Appl. No. 707,087 [22] Filed Feb. 21, 1968[45] Patented June 28, 1971 [54] METHOD OF CONTINUOUS SHEET METALPRODUCTION 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

(52] [1.8. CI. 164/4, 1 164/87 [51] Int. Cl 822d 17/32, B22d 1/02 [50].Field of Search 164/82, 86, 87,154, 277, 281, 4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,498,362 3/1970 Lewis164/277X n 13,ss7,7'0s

7 49,053 7/1965 Bessemer 164/277X 1,807,873 6/1931 Reece et a1...l64/87X 2,074,812 3/1937 Sendzimir..... 164/87 2,108,752 2/1938 Low164/87 2,108,753 2/1938 Low 164/87 2,183,010 12/1939 Coxe 164/87 ErimaryExaminer-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Exam iner-R. Spencer AnnearAtlorney- Waters, Roditi, Schwartz and Nissen ABSTRACT: A method ofcontinuous sheet metal production is provided, which comprises immersingwater-cooled rolls into a bath of molten metal to such a depth that themolten' PATENTEU JUH28 IQYI 3; 587,70

' sum 1 or 2 PATENTEU JUN28 [an SHEET 2 [IF 2 METHOD OF CONTINUOUS SHEETMETAL PRODUCTION This invention relates to continuous casting of metals,and more particularly to methods of continuous sheet metal production.

Known at present are methods of continuous production of sheet metalaccording to which water-cooled rolls are immersed in a bath containingmolten metal which crystallizes on the surface of the rolls, while thelatter are rotated in opposite directions, for the purpose ofdischarging the crystallized metal between them in the shape of a metalsheet.

According to the known methods, the molten metal contacts the rolls overa certain portion of their cylindrical surfaces corresponding to centralangles of to l5.

As a small surface area of the molten metal contacts the rolls, agreater portion of the roll surface is not utilized, resulting in a lowoutput of the plant.

Besides, molten metal feed into the noncrystallized portion of the sheetbetween therolls is insufficient, which adversely affects the quality ofthe sheet.

In known methods referred to above, use is made of permanently fixedrolls with a constant gap between them, which results in eitherhampering the quality of the produced sheet, or the breaking of therolls in case of deviation from specified working conditions, forexample, temperature of water, metal,

etc. 1

An object of this invention is to provide a method of continuous sheetmetal production which will ensure a higher output of the product.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of continuoussheet metal production ensuring a stable process of production ofhigh-quality sheet metal at a high speed of sheet discharge, and withclose tolerances as to the cross section of the produced sheets.

These and other objects of the invention have been achieved in thataccording to the method of continuous sheet metal production accordingto this invention, the rolls are immersed in a bath with molten metal tosuch a depth that the molten metal contacts the rolls over a portion oftheir cylindrical surfaces corresponding to central angles greater thanl80.

In order to rule out the influence of variations of the processparameters, such as the temperature of the metal, water, etc., one ofthe rolls is preferably pressed against the surface of the sheet beingprocessed, while the speed of the roll rotation is controlled so that incase of increase of the thickness of the outcoming sheet their speedwould also increase, and vice ver- Other objects of the-invention willbe apparent from the following description' in connection with anembodiment of the invention as shown in the accompanying drawing inwhich:

HO. 1 is an elevation view of a device for effecting the methodaccording to this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device.

The method of continuous sheet metal production consists in thefollowing.

The water-cooled rolls 3 and 4 rotating in opposite directions areplaced in a bath 1 (FIG. 1) containing molten metal 2, said rolls beingimmersed in said molten metal to such a depth that the level of themolten metal is above a horizontal plane drawn through the axes ofrotation a-a (FIG. 2) of the rolls 3 and 4, thus ensuring the contact ofthe molten metal with a portion of the cylindrical surfaces of the rollscorresponding to central angles greater than This solution provides thepossibility of utilizing the greater part of the working surface of therolls and of continuous feeding of molten metal into the noncrystallizedportion of the sheet located between the rolls 3 and 4.

As a result of contact with the surface of the water-cooled rolls 3 and4, the metal crystallizes and in the shape of a sheet 5 (FIG. 1) isdischarged between the rolls 3 and 4 from the bath 1.

The rolls 3 and 4 are driven from an electric motor 6 (FIG.

2) through a reduction ear 7.

In case of dev|at|on o the process parameters, such as temperature ofmetal, water, etc., from the specified values, the thickness of theproduced sheets can-vary. In order to rule out the influence of thevarying working conditions upon the production process, one of the rollsis pressed against the sur face of the processed sheet by means of aspring 9 mounted-on a rod 8, said spring being fixed between a stop 10and pad ll of the roll 4, said pad holding the rod 8. Concurrently, thespeed of rotation of the rolls is controlled by means of the rod 8 whichacts upon an intermediate link 12, the latter, in turn, acting upon apickup l3 sending a respective command to the electric motor 6 of thedrive of the rolls 3 and 4.

Thus, for example, if the thickness of the outcoming sheet increases therod 8 actuates the intermediate link 12 which operates the pickup 13.

The pickup sends the command to increase the speed of rotation of theelectric motor 6, resulting in the increase of the speed of the rolls 3and 4. Following this, the thickness of the processed sheet beingsdecreasing, until a specified value off thickness is restored.

Thus the method of continuous sheet metal production describedhereinabove ensures high speeds of production combined with closetolerances as to sheet thickness.

We claim:

l. A method of continuous sheet metal production comprising immersingwater-cooled rolls on whose surface crystalliza- 3 tion of metal takesplace in a bath of molten metal to such a depth that the molten metalcontacts the rolls over a portion of their cylindrical surfacescorresponding to central angles greater than 180, rotating said rolls inopposite directions for discharging the crystallized metal in the shapeof a sheet between them, movably pressing one of the rolls against thesurface of the sheet being processed, sensing any deviation in thedesired thickness of the outcoming sheet, and controlling the speed ofrotation of the rolls in response to said sensed deviation such thatsaid deviation is compensated by variation in speed of rotation of therolls.

2. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said sensing of deviation inthe desired thickness of the outcoming sheet is effected by sensing theeffect on the movable roll.

